3.2 BCPM, 3.5 Overall, 34 MCAT.. should I apply?

[augustina]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this but I'm trying to decide right now if I should apply in this cycle or wait a year, to potentially improve my BCMP GPA. I would like to go to higher ranked schools, such as BU, Albert Einstein, Sinai, etc. Please let me know what you think!

(FYI: At a very competitive undergrad institution, where grades are notoriously low)

BCPM: 3.2
AO: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
MCAT: 34 (11, 12, 11)
Research publication in American Heart Assoc. Journal, 2 posters
Significant research for 3 years
Trained EMT
President of Pre-Med Society and a volunteering organization
Kaplan MCAT Instructor and Tutor
Not very much shadowing experience..

THANK YOU!

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[MilkmanAl]

Your chances at more selective schools are slim, but I think you have a reasonable chance of getting accepted if you do away with your high standards and apply broadly.

 

[abcabc1]

It will be tough to get into one of those selective schools, since their average MCAT is around 3.4. With an average BCMP of 3.6-3.8 at many of those schools, you'll be at a disadvantage..


Which state are you from? I'd also recommend applying broadly to all public schools in your state and various private schools (more on the mid-level than high-level) throughout the nation.

Schools like Sinai and AECOM are very selective, so waiting another year is not worth the risk as your chances of getting into them would go up next year, but there would still be a good chance you don't get in. I wouldn't consider BU a great school, though some may like its location and it is very tough to get it as they receive a lot of apps. I think it's one of the most expensive schools in the nation, along with Tufts.

My advice would be apply this year and try to start in 2009. You can make up for attending a 'lower ranked' school by a earning higher USMLE Step 1 score. Your high MCAT score is good evidence that you can also do well on the USMLE exams, though many exceptions exist.

 

[YellowRecorder]

I have similar stats:

BCPM: 3.4
Overall: 3.6
MCAT: 32
Research, shadowing, volunteering, great LORs (I think).
Great ivy league undergrad school
I am hoping for a UC (CA resident) school or emory, vanderbilt etc.
Is this possible?

 

[bawer234]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this but I'm trying to decide right now if I should apply in this cycle or wait a year, to potentially improve my BCMP GPA. I would like to go to higher ranked schools, such as BU, Albert Einstein, Sinai, etc. Please let me know what you think!

(FYI: At a very competitive undergrad institution, where grades are notoriously low)

BCPM: 3.2
AO: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
MCAT: 34 (11, 12, 11)
Research publication in American Heart Assoc. Journal, 2 posters
Significant research for 3 years
Trained EMT
President of Pre-Med Society and a volunteering organization
Kaplan MCAT Instructor and Tutor
Not very much shadowing experience..

THANK YOU!

How much clinical exp. do you have? I believe that if you apply this season you will get an exceptance somewhere but not at the kinds of school's you mentioned. With the low BCPM and mid range GPA, I just don't see it happening (it could, but the odds aren't in your favor). Now that I have had the "priviledge" of going through the application process I realize that clinical exp. is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY important. Let me say that again...VERY important.

The Pre-med honors society won't count for much and neither will the MCAT tutoring. The EMT is a great clinical experience and think it should be stressed in your AMCAS app. Your research is another strength but you have to realize it is not as important as your clinical exp (unless you're going for an MD/PhD). From MY experience, clinical exp. should be at least 3+ years of solid volunteering/job with DIVERSE population groups. Working with diverse populations is especially important when applying to top tier schools. (I spoke with Pritzker and they said my lack of working with "diverse" populations hurt my application).

This is what I wish I would have known b4 I applied. Im sure you're going to get different advice from different people who "know" I'm wrong, but that's my advice, for what ever its worth.

Summary: I feel your GPA and clinical experience limit your application and will prevent you from getting an acceptance at the top/high tier schools you mentioned above. If you have to go to a top tier school, build up your GPA and add on some heavy, juicy clinical experience.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I have similar stats:

BCPM: 3.4
Overall: 3.6
MCAT: 32
Research, shadowing, volunteering, great LORs (I think).
Great ivy league undergrad school
I am hoping for a UC (CA resident) school or emory, vanderbilt etc.
Is this possible?

It's possible but your chances are very slim. Your MCAT and your GPA are both pretty low for the top tier schools. Unless you are URM I'd say it's unlikely you'd get into any UC, even as a resident of the state.

Good luck.

 

[scarletgirl777]

I have similar stats:

BCPM: 3.4
Overall: 3.6
MCAT: 32
Research, shadowing, volunteering, great LORs (I think).
Great ivy league undergrad school
I am hoping for a UC (CA resident) school or emory, vanderbilt etc.
Is this possible?

Your 32 is pretty low for Emory and Vanderbilt. The school you went to could only help your GPA not your MCAT. So of course it's possible, but you should be prepared for the possibility that it might not happen. You should still definitely apply though. I also think it's unnecessarily harsh to say that you'd be "unlikely" to get into any UC, your numbers are right at Davis' and Irvine's averages.